Regional Snapshot

Lighting Dark Places–
the Holy Spirit at Work

From Rod Matthews

VARSITY LAKES, Queens-land, Australia—Southeast Asia is a huge area geograph-ically—stretching from Afghanistan to French Polynesia, and our fellowship has members in more than 15 countries and congregations in 11.

In addition, I correspond with leaders of groups of Christians in another three countries who have expressed consistent interest in developing a long-term relationship with us. I can choose only a couple of highlights here to share with you what your brothers and sisters in Christ are doing in this vast region.

Solomon Islands

We have a number of remote members through whom the light of Christ shines brightly as a beacon in their communities. Take Henry Kuper for example. He and his family live on the small, remote island of Santa Ana at the southern end of the Solomon Islands archipelago.

Henry and Elisabeth Kuper—[Photo by Doug Lewis]

Kuper retired several years ago as chief of police in the capital, Honiara. His late father (also a church member) was a coast watcher during the Second World War. He was part of a brave and secret force of local men who radioed intelligence about Japanese military movements to the Allied forces.

When Henry retired to his home village, he found two denominational churches there that tended to operate independently. He and his family were the only WCG members there, and they worshiped with each group and developed excellent relationships with them. Now he coordinates combined activities to serve the communities. He is provided with resources for education and edification by mail from Australia to use in this role.

Church service in Qiloe—[Photo by Doug Lewis]

When Solomon’s pastoral coordinator, Doug Lewis, and his wife, Marg, visited Santa Ana in October, they experienced an earthquake centered less than 40 kilometers away that registered 6.9 on the Richter scale. It damaged the house of Henry’s mother, where they were staying.

At the northern end of the country, on the island of Ranongga, we have a church congregation (more accurately a village) at Qiloe. The members there established a community first-aid station when the government had to withdraw all medical services on Ranongga because of a national financial crisis. Using medical supplies sent by several Australian churches and administered by a local nurse, basic services are provided to a number of villages.

Derek Jiru—pastor, Qiloe

Bibles and study aids, women’s ministry materials, children’s church resources and equipment for schools and kindergartens have also been shipped. This year, the Bible has become available in a language they speak—called Lunga. Each member was given a Bible, funded by an Australian congregation.

This language has always been just an oral language—and now they must learn to read and write it. So a support program—with books and pens—is being developed.

Papua New Guinea

In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, the Mount Wilhelm congregation has been the recipient of a light project underwritten by several Australian congregations. The village has no electricity. In the evenings the houses are traditionally lit only by kerosene lamps and cooking fires.

Mount Wilhelm congregation—[Photo by Mark Latham]

But last year, a sustainable solar electricity project was completed and commissioned, giving much joy and celebration to the church and surrounding community.

For the first time, electric lights can be used at night in the church-built meeting hall. People from surrounding areas are attracted to bright and unusual lights at night. So the congregation plans to use the lights to host evening Bible studies, educational seminars and teaching to improve living conditions.

The project also highlighted the spirit of cooperation between different churches, church members and those from the surrounding community. In a practical way, first with physical light and then with spiritual light, we pray that the ancient prophecy might have a modern fulfillment: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light: on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).

Thailand: Karen refugees

On the Thai border with Myanmar are five main refugee camps holding more than 100,000 Karen refugees. The Karen people are a major ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma) and have been involved in a civil war with the Burmese-dominated government for decades. In one of the camps our congregation of families continues to endure the virtual imprisonment that seems to have no end.

The camps are organized under a mandate from the United Nations and provide essential food, clothing, shelter and some basic primary level education for the children. But major medical needs, secondary level education, supplemental food assistance and the purchase of additional materials to quickly repair homes damaged by the weather must be supported by extra funds sent in every month from our fellowship in Australia. Our Karen elder there can live outside the camp, and through him we provide humanitarian and pastoral support to our people in the area.

Please imagine what it must be like to live each day in a foreign land (with a different language), restricted to a camp with reasonable temporary homes (but needing to collect water for cooking from a community supply point when it runs for a couple of hours each day), and without meaningful work, where you can only hope—but have no assurance—that your children will ever have a decent future.

I am sure our Father hears many prayers reflecting “How long, O Lord?” Perhaps, more than we could ever imagine, they have had to wrestle with Paul’s encouragement to “be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ ” (Hebrews 13:5). They all appreciate your prayers.

And elsewhere

The Worldwide Educational Institute, sponsored by the church in Sri Lanka, graduated 117 young people Dec. 5 from three-, six- and 12-month courses specializing in English. WEI is also contracted to conduct English language proficiency classes for Sri Lankan Airlines employees in Colombo.

Ratu Epeli Kanaimawi

The church in India distributes a small magazine called Living Light as a means of introducing the Christian message and values to people with other religious backgrounds (it’s not available outside India).

The magazine produced by the church in Malaysia (for distribution in Malaysia and Singapore only), has reached a circulation of more than 4,000, making it one of the larger circulation Christian magazines in Malaysia.

In Myanmar, our congregations in the north and south of the country still suffer from isolation because of arduous travel conditions, and they need to use great wisdom and discretion in all outreach activities there.

In Fiji, Pastor Ratu Epeli Kanaimawi serves as chairman of a sub-committee of the Great Council of Chiefs for national reconciliation after the ethnic fractures resulting from the coup attempts of recent years, and is heavily involved with the efforts of the Assembly of Christian Churches in Fiji (ACCF) for the same purposes. He reports that the work of the ACCF has had beneficial effects on the different ethnic and religious communities in Fiji.

In Thailand, the schools specializing in English language skills founded by Chogait Garmolgomut, an Ambassador graduate, and his wife, Amporn, continue to prosper. But it is the exceptional example of his family and their Christian generosity that draws parents of students and his staff to inquire about their beliefs and in many cases to embrace them. A group of about 30 Christians meets for worship each week in their school.